A Trip to Forget
by amber75
Summary: ObiWan and Anakin's latest mission starts off on the wrong foot and gets worse from there! ObiWan is 28 & Anakin is 12. Completed.
1. Default Chapter

"Anakin Skywalker!"

Anakin paused from his packing. When his master used his full name like that it was never a good sign. He poked his head out of his bedroom door. "Yes, Master," he squeaked. The twelve-year-old cleared his throat. He didn't want to sound as nervous as he felt. "Yes, Master?"

Obi-Wan was standing in the living area, hands planted on his hips and irritation evident in his eyes. He took a deep, calming breath. _One. Two. Three. Four. Five._ "I just spoke with Master Ky'Tah at the landing platform to ask when our transport would be here to pick us up, and guess what he said?"

Anakin's heart sunk suddenly. _Oops._ Obi-Wan had left the transportation arrangements for their latest mission to him. And he had…forgotten.

Obi-Wan put on a great imitation of Master Ky'Tah. "'What transport, Knight Kenobi?'"

"Master, I'm sorry! I just plain forgot! I've had so much homework and with the extra lessons I'm taking to catch up with the other padawans…" Anakin stopped when he noticed the complete lack of sympathy on Obi-Wan's face.

Obi-Wan gazed at Anakin pointedly. "If there is too much on your plate, then perhaps I should start paring down your schedule."

Anakin bit down on his own irritation. "No, Master! It won't happen again."

"You said that last time when you forgot to inform me that I had been called by the Council."

"Are you EVER going to let me live that down?"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow at that. "Just as soon as certain Council members decide to let ME live it down." He heaved a sigh. "We're supposed to be leaving for El Abrell in just a few hours. We probably won't even be able to hitch a ride on a garbage scow at this short notice!"

"I'll find us something, Master, I promise!" Anakin was determined to show his master that he could be relied upon in a pinch – especially when he was the one responsible for the pinch in the first place.

"I certainly hope so, Padawan." Obi-Wan walked over to the desk and picked up what looked to be a small datapad. "I want you to use this personal organizer. It will ALERT you when something needs to be done."

Anakin's chin went up defiantly. "I don't need it."

Obi-Wan snorted. "Yeah, you've made that painfully obvious." He moved closer to his apprentice. "'No' is not an option."

"Master…" Anakin knew he sounded whiney, but he didn't care.

Obi-Wan was already heading for his room to pack. "Let me know when you've secured our transport."

Anakin sat down glumly at the desk. He flipped on the communications console and set about his task. He had to find SOMETHING! He would not, could not tell his master that he had failed.

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Obi-Wan stood stock-still, gaping at their transport. He had frozen in place as soon as he had seen where his padawan was leading. He finally turned his disbelieving eyes back to his now-fidgeting padawan. "I didn't think you'd take me literally when I mentioned a garbage scow!"

Anakin tried hard to hold his master's withering gaze. "It was the only transport I could find that was going anywhere near the El Abrell system within the next few days." Anakin tried to lighten the moment with a smile. "It won't be so bad, Master. It's empty. They won't be picking up their load until after they've dropped us off."

_One. Two. Three. Four. Five._ "A garbage scow will always smell like garbage – with or without a load!" Obi-Wan then noticed one of the pilots walking down the ramp towards them. He shot Anakin one last 'this isn't over' glance before putting on his Jedi face. He walked up to the rather unkempt man and bowed. "I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is my padawan, Anakin Skywalker. We are grateful for your assistance in getting us to El Abrell."

The big man shrugged. "Ah, it ain't a big deal. Not too many people clamoring to ride on a garbage scow!" The man laughed and smacked Obi-Wan on the shoulder.

Obi-Wan smiled politely. _Except my forgetful, oh-so-in-trouble padawan!_

"My name is Jorgan. I'm the captain of this flea trap."

Obi-Wan stifled a wince. He fervently hoped that Jorgan was attempting to be humorous and not literal. He fell in step with Jorgan as the man headed back towards the dirty ship.

"We'll be taking off shortly. My co-pilot and I need to check on a minor problem before we leave."

Obi-Wan perked up. "My padawan is a very gifted mechanic. He'd be happy to assist you in any way possible on this journey." He shot Anakin a beatific smile. "Feel free to call upon him at ANY time."

Jorgan looked pleasantly surprised. "Wow. Thank you, Master Kenobi. I may just do that. My co-pilot, Sam, can show you to your room." He looked back at Anakin. "Follow me, kid."

Anakin shot an unhappy look at his evil, grinning master. He obediently followed Jorgan towards the aft underbelly of the ship. He had the distinct impression that he was going to regret his choice of transports.

Obi-Wan walked up the ramp, still smiling from the emotions he was sensing from his padawan. His smile faded as the expected unpleasant odor assaulted his nose. When he was fully onboard, the stench was almost enough to make him gag. He resisted the urge to plug his nose as a stocky, gray-haired man stepped out of the cockpit to greet him.

"Ah, Master Jedi. I must say, it's an honor to be of some service to the Jedi Order." He offered a pleasant smile.

Obi-Wan bowed. "Thank you, Sir. We appreciate your assistance." He found himself wishing there was a Force-trick for turning off one's sense of smell.

"My name is Sam. I guess you can say I'm Jorgan's right hand man."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi. My padawan, Anakin Skywalker, is currently assisting Jorgan on a mechanical matter."

"Ah, yes. I was just about to lend him a hand myself. Let me show you to your room." He gestured down the short hall. "I'm afraid it isn't much. You and your padawan will have to share." He motioned for Obi-Wan to enter through one of the doors.

When Obi-Wan did, he had to work to keep his face neutral. 'Not much' was putting it nicely. It actually looked to be a storage closet. It was tiny. And shelving had been transformed into makeshift beds. "This will do nicely, thank you."

"The fresher is the next door to your left. Now, I better go see if I can lend your padawan and Jorgan a hand." He turned and left Obi-Wan in the confined space.

Obi-Wan threw his pack on the top shelf. He wanted to be as far away from the floor and any creeping, crawling things as he could.

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Anakin walked into their room and stopped short. He looked up to see Obi-Wan sitting on the top…shelf in his meditative position. "THIS is our room?"

"For the next two days, yes." Obi-Wan opened his eyes and couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted him. His padawan was covered in grease and grime from head to foot. The smell that emanated from him, however, wasn't exactly pleasant. "Were you able to fix their little problem?"

Anakin grimaced. "Yes, after having to climb into the dirtiest innards of any ship I've ever seen. I'm really surprised this thing can still fly!"

Obi-Wan's smile quickly faded. "Are you telling me this thing isn't safe?" He didn't exactly enjoy flying when a ship was in pristine condition – much less this filthy, stinky, rusting bucket of bolts!

Now it was Anakin's turn to smile - inwardly. He decided to have some fun at his master's expense. Anakin put on a concerned look. "Well, I don't know, Master. With the way this thing looks, I'd say it's a miracle it hasn't blown Jorgan and Sam to bits a long time ago!"

Obi-Wan gazed down at his apprentice – a picture of emotional neutrality. "There is a rather unpleasant punishment in store for any padawan who deliberately tries to frighten his master."

_Oh, boy. I should have known better than to try that with him._ Anakin endeavored to appear unconcerned. "And that is?"

"When I think of something heinous enough, you'll be the first to know." Obi-Wan paused as the ship's engines roared to life. The ship began to vibrate violently as it took off. Obi-Wan grabbed onto a shelf-support to keep from falling onto the floor. He worked to keep himself calm as the ship creaked and groaned in protest.

The ship finally settled down a bit several minutes later. Obi-Wan looked around warily. "That was not very…comforting." On top of everything else, he was now feeling quite queasy.

Anakin peeled himself off the floor. "That's the understatement of the century!" He had the feeling that this was going to be an extremely LONG two days. "I'm going to go take a much-needed shower, Master."

"Alright." Obi-Wan was grateful that he'd have some more time to meditate. He really needed to release his apprehension and hopefully his nausea into the Force.

When Anakin came back in, hair wet from his shower, Obi-Wan climbed down off his shelf. "I'll think I'll take a shower as well." He stopped when he noticed his padawan's wicked grin. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, Master. I just have a feeling that you may not really want a shower." Anakin worked to keep from laughing.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a mildly confused look and walked out of the room. He stopped in his tracks as he entered what was undoubtedly the dirtiest fresher he'd ever seen. Obi-Wan's disgust turned to horror as he looked into the shower. The self-admitted neat-freak shuddered in revulsion. _A herd of wild banthas could not get me in there!_

Obi-Wan picked up what he prayed was a clean wash cloth and went over to the sink. He would take a very quick spit bath while trying not to touch any surface within the squalid little room.


	2. A Trip to Forget Ch 2

Thank you for your reviews! After the darkness of my last story, I thought I should lighten things up a bit. I hope you enjoy!

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Anakin lay on his shelf, trying to get to sleep. He was almost there when he heard a squeaking sound. His eyes popped open. He listened intently for a while, but heard nothing else. When he decided that he had probably imagined it, he heard it again. He then heard what sounded to be scampering little feet.

Anakin shot up and promptly hit his head on the shelf above him. "Ow!" He massaged the spot where he knew there would soon be a lump. "Master? Master, are you awake?"

"Yes, Anakin." There was a hint of amusement in Obi-Wan's voice.

"Did you hear those noises?" As if in reply, another squeak and more sounds of movement immediately followed. "THOSE noises?"

"Yes, I heard them." Obi-Wan sounded completely unconcerned.

"What do you think it is?"

"I would assume we have been joined by a rodent of some kind."

"Oh, great! Don't most rodents have extremely sharp teeth and carry nasty diseases?"

"Yes."

"NOW I know why you took the top shelf."

"Exactly." Obi-Wan tried to keep the smile out of his voice. "I suggest you keep your hands and feet securely on the shelf."

"Thanks, Master." Anakin sounded anything but thankful.

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"Anakin?"

Anakin woke up slowly. It felt like he'd just fallen asleep five minutes before. "Hmm?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Anakin." It sounded like Jorgan's voice. "Our food dispenser isn't working. Would you mind taking a look at it?"

"Wh-what time is it?"

"It's 6:00."

_Ugh. What kind of people voluntarily get up at this hour?_ Anakin slowly got up. The stream of light coming from the open doorway showed an empty top shelf. _Typical._

Anakin shuffled into the small eating area to find his master sipping a cup of coffee and chatting with Sam. It amazed him how Obi-Wan always seemed to be able to wake up in a pleasant mood. Anakin sincerely hoped to learn that ability someday. As it was right now, his mood was anything but pleasant.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a smile. "Good morning, Padawan." He could easily sense the boy's foul mood.

"Morning, Master," Anakin groused.

Sam shot Obi-Wan an amused glance. "We really appreciate your help with this, Anakin. The food dispenser's been on the fritz for a while, but this morning it completely gave up the ghost."

Anakin didn't really feel like replying, but at the look Obi-Wan sent him, he decided that he'd better follow etiquette. "I'm glad to help, sir." He walked over to the unit and immediately started tinkering.

Jorgan sat down at the table with Sam and Obi-Wan. Sam picked up the conversation where he'd left off. "Well, I for one am fascinated by the Jedi. I remember as a little boy the Jedi coming between my planet and disaster. It truly amazes me what you Jedi are willing to give up for a life of service."

Anakin perked up his ears to hear Obi-Wan's response. It amazed HIM the sacrifices the Jedi willingly made in order to serve. He often wondered if he could ever truly be that committed – especially when he thought that the Jedi Order required too much sacrifice of its members. It was a thought that went unmentioned to his master, who was completely committed to the Jedi Order and its Code.

Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulders. "Any time someone truly believes in something and is dedicated to living according to that belief, it requires some sacrifices and a determination of priorities. It is no different for the Jedi."

Sam leaned forward. "Ah, but it is. Because your sacrifices are things most people treasure and even take for granted – getting married, having kids, making decisions for oneself FIRST."

Obi-Wan looked at both men. "Are either of you married with families?"

Sam glanced at Jorgan. "Well, no."

"Why not?"

Jorgan piped in. "We're both wanderers – traveling constantly. It just wouldn't be right to have a family and never be there for them."

"Do either of you regret that decision?"

Sam and Jorgan both shook their heads. "Not really, no." Sam put up his hand. "But that's not the same thing."

Obi-Wan smiled gently. "Isn't it? You're both serving the galaxy in your own way. You've made sacrifices in order to do that."

Jorgan looked dumbfounded. "Surely you're not comparing what we do to what you do! Even though we both made a choice not to have a family, we can still do whatever we want. We can put ourselves first."

Anakin had to agree with Jorgan. Hauling trash across the galaxy could not be equated with the work of the Jedi!

"Who's to say which service is greater or which sacrifice is harder?" Obi-Wan smiled at the looks on the other two men's faces. "We all have our roles to fill in this galaxy. The so-called smaller, less significant roles are still vital to the galaxy functioning as a whole. And thus, they are equally important in the scheme of things."

Sam gave Jordan an ironic look. "I think that is what's known as 'Jedi wisdom.'"

Jorgan laughed. "I guess so! I have the feeling it would be down-right impossible to win an argument with you, Knight Kenobi."

Anakin snorted. Jorgan didn't know how right he was!

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Anakin watched as the dirty ship lifted off and headed back into the atmosphere. He and Obi-Wan were standing in a clearing amidst the jungle that was El Abrell. His master had given him the details about their mission onboard the garbage scow – what details there were, anyway.

El Abrell was an uninhabited planet, save for one, well-hidden research station. The scientists at this research station were working on a cure for some devastating disease, which had not been named to the Jedi. All the Council had been told was that the research being done here was of vital importance to the Republic. That research was now in danger. The Republic had received word that this particular research station was a target. Someone wanted to stop the work being done by these scientists. Even though the research station was hidden – its whereabouts only known by a select few – the Chancellor had decided to err on the side of caution and send in the Jedi for protection. Their mandate: protect the station and it's researchers; and if possible, find out who might be behind the threats.

"Is there a reason we have to journey to the station by foot?" Anakin was not at all pleased by the mystery surrounding this mission.

"Yes, Anakin," Obi-Wan stated patiently. "A ship landing near the station would be a neon sign to anyone who might be watching. We want the research station to remain hidden for as long as possible."

"But don't you think that walking across half the planet to get there is a bit much?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "It's a small planet."

"Not small enough," Anakin grumped.

"You've never been in a jungle environment before, Anakin. Actually, neither have I. This will be a new experience for both of us. This might actually be quite interesting."

"I suppose. It certainly is different than Tatooine!"

"It is that." Obi-Wan stretched out with his senses. The jungle was teeming with life, though none of it sentient. _That's a good sign, anyway._ Not sensing any danger, he slung his pack over his shoulder. "Ready?"

"Ready." Anakin fell into step behind his master, who was scanning the detailed directions on his datapad. "How long do you think it will take us to get there?"

"A day and a half at most."

"A DAY AND A HALF?" Anakin looked around the thick greenery they were wading through. All around them were sounds emanating from many different creatures. "We're out of our element here, Master."

"We're never out of our element as long as we have the Force."

Anakin gritted his teeth. Why did every comment he made have to be turned into lecture? Besides, that answer sounded too…simplistic. "Do you really believe that?" He ran into Obi-Wan's back as his master stopped abruptly.

Obi-Wan turned and looked down at his apprentice. "I never say anything I don't mean, Padawan."

"I…I didn't mean any disrespect, Master. I just don't understand what you meant."

Obi-Wan's eyes softened. He nodded as he continued the trek. "Jedi, by nature of our job, are placed in a huge variety of settings and in many cases, the most complicated of situations. We can never be out of our element if we are to perform our duty. We must expect the unexpected and do our duty to the best of our ability, no matter the environment or situation. We have our duty and we have the Force. Those are our constants."

_Duty, duty, duty. Is that ALL Jedi are supposed to think about?_ Anakin hoped his mental shielding was up enough to block his thoughts. So many of the things his master and Council members like Yoda said felt out-of-reach and beyond his ability to truly grasp. Would he ever be able to understand these concepts?

Obi-Wan could sense his padawan's frustration. The deeply-buried reservations he still had about Anakin's training crept up a bit. The core beliefs and standards of the Jedi Order could be hard to grasp at that age, even having been raised at the Temple since infancy. But with nine years in the outside world and the harsh realities of slavery as the foundation, it could be a nearly impossible task. Obi-Wan pushed his doubts back under the heavy armor of his shielding. He couldn't focus on his doubts and he certainly didn't want Anakin to sense them.

"Ow!"

Obi-Wan glanced back at his padawan. "What's the matter?"

"I keep getting smacked in the face by the branches you push aside!"

Obi-Wan covered his smile. "Then don't follow so close. We can't hack through the bushes with our lightsabers. We'd be leaving a trail a blind man could follow."

"Yes, Master." Anakin eased back from his master. But he focused on their master/padawan bond. He certainly didn't want to fall too far behind and get lost.

After another hour of walking, Anakin knew he needed to stop. _I shouldn't have drunk that Correllian tea right before starting this hike._ "Master, do you mind if we stop for a minute?"

"Go ahead, Padawan." Obi-Wan patiently waited as he heard his apprentice move off to the side a ways.

Anakin moved back out of the bushes and towards his master's Force signature. "Okay, Master." He looked around as he followed behind Obi-Wan. El Abrell really was a pretty planet. This hike might not be so bad after all.

Anakin scratched an itch on his leg. He idly scratched the back of his hand. Then his neck began to itch. He scratched at his legs again. This itching was starting to get…unpleasant. His rear-end was even starting to itch! Anakin looked at the back of his hand and saw that it was covered with red splotches. _Oh, no._ He scratched some more. "Um, Master…"


	3. A Trip to Forget Ch 3

Thank you all for your kind reviews! I appreciate the feedback very much!

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Obi-Wan dug through his pack for the med kit. "Anakin, stop scratching!"

"I can't! I've never itched so bad in my life!"

"Out of all the plants in this jungle, you had to pick the poisonous one!" Obi-Wan picked through the med kit, looking for something that might help his padawan.

"I didn't do it on purpose! Believe me, this in NOT my idea of a good time!"

Obi-Wan threw Anakin a bottle. "Put that on. It should help with the itch." While his padawan lathered himself with lotion, Obi-Wan took the opportunity to scan through the directions again. They were on track, but were not making good time.

"Alright, Master, I'm done." Anakin did feel better, but the urge to scratch was still strong.

"Do not scratch anymore. You'll just make it worse." Obi-Wan had to work really hard not to smile at the sight his padawan presented. His face, neck and hands were covered by a nasty, red rash. On top of that was a chalky-white layer from the lotion.

Obi-Wan put the lotion back into the med kit and shoved the kit into his pack. "Before we go, look around and see if you can find the kind of plant that did this to you." He followed behind Anakin as he searched.

"There, Master. That big bush."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Good. Now I know what to avoid. Let's get going."

Anakin suppressed a groan. All he wanted to do right now was take a bath in anti-itch lotion. _I hate the jungle!_

A couple of hours later, they stopped to eat. Obi-Wan suddenly felt a tingle of a warning from the Force.

Anakin's eyes went wide as a snake seemingly came out of nowhere to hang right behind his master. He didn't even have a chance to let out a warning. Instantly, there was a green flash as Obi-Wan whipped his lightsaber around in a graceful arc. Anakin blinked in wonder. Obi-Wan hadn't so much as glanced behind him or changed his seating position by an inch!

Obi-Wan now took the opportunity to look behind him. A green, headless snake now lay in a large pile of coils on the ground. He let out a breath. _That's the biggest bloody snake I've ever seen!_

Anakin scooted over to take a look. "Look at the size of that thing! He was big enough to eat you for lunch!"

"So I see."

"That snake didn't stand a chance, though, fast as you moved!" Anakin grinned proudly.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin an ironic smile. "It might have if the Force hadn't of warned me." He glanced back at the deceased creature. "Snake meat, anyone?"

Anakin threw Obi-Wan a horrified look. "No, thank you, Master!"

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Obi-Wan wiped the sweat off his forehead for the umpteenth time. His damp clothes were plastered to his skin. The late afternoon sun was mostly blocked by the foliage, but it was still hot and extremely muggy. He yearned for a nice, cool shower in a nice, clean fresher.

After walking a while longer, Obi-Wan entered into a clearing. A smile crept onto his face to see the small pond settled into a rather idyllic setting. The pond was being fed by a trickling stream. All around it were blooming flowers and hanging vines. Birds chirped happily and other creatures seemed to make sounds of contentment. "Thank the Force!"

Anakin came to stand beside Obi-Wan. "It's beautiful here! I haven't seen anything so pretty since leaving Naboo."

"I agree. Are you up for a swim?"

"No, thank you, Master. I don't want to wash off the one thing that's keeping me from tearing off my skin."

"Suit yourself. While I'm cooling off, why don't you fill up our canteens from that small waterfall?"

"Alright, Master."

Obi-Wan pulled off his boots and his tunic. He waded into the water and quickly went under. The water felt wonderful! He came back to the surface and floated for a while. There wasn't much time to dilly-dally, but he was going to savor these few moments.

Obi-Wan reluctantly stood up and walked back onto the shore. He noticed Anakin studying him, wide-eyed. "What?"

"Master, there's something on you – or should I say, some THINGS."

Obi-Wan looked down at his arms and his chest. He was covered in little, black, slimy creatures. _Leeches!_ He tried very hard not to panic. He quickly started picking off the little parasites. "Padawan, will you kindly pull the unwanted guests off my back?"

"Eeew, Master! How can you be so calm with those things sucking on you like that?"

_Because somehow, I think that my running around and screaming for you to get them off of me just might diminish me in your eyes._ "Discipline." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at his own answer. _I'm really beginning to hate the jungle._

Anakin quickly brushed the leeches off his master's back and neck, trying not to touch them any more than necessary. "I think that's all of them."

There were red marks all over Obi-Wan's skin where the leeches had latched on. Obi-Wan grimaced. "I better go make sure there aren't any more hiding anywhere else." As he walked into the surrounding greenery, he sincerely hoped that the start of this mission was not an indicator of how the rest of the mission would play out.

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"Master, can we stop for the night?" Anakin was tired, itchy, cranky and wet. It had been raining for the last hour and all of the anti-itch cream had been washed away.

"We will soon, Anakin. We need to find the right spot." Obi-Wan was grateful for the rain. It was helping to keep him cool and refreshed. He certainly had no intentions of entering another body of water on this planet, so rain was his best bet. Obi-Wan brushed his wet hair out of his eyes. He kept his eyes peeled for a good place to bed down.

"This will do." Obi-Wan pointed out a spot underneath a huge tree. The large leaves created a kind of canopy that helped to keep the rain at bay.

"Finally!" Anakin threw himself down on the ground. "May I have the anti-itch lotion again, Master?"

Obi-Wan dug the lotion out and handed it to his apprentice. Mirth now danced in his eyes. "This has certainly been a memorable mission so far, hasn't it?"

Anakin couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, it has! I just hope we can have an uneventful night's sleep."

Obi-Wan grinned. "Agreed." While Anakin went off to find a hopefully non-poisonous bush, Obi-Wan made up a bed of leaves. He laid his cloak over the leaves and nestled in for the night. He had the feeling that he wasn't going to sleep well. The humidity was stifling. Eyes closed, Obi-Wan could hear Anakin gathering leaves for his own bed. His eyes popped open as his padawan's weight landed on his arm.

"Oh, sorry, Master."

"Anakin, is there a reason you are sleeping so very CLOSE?"

"This jungle is not friendly, Master. We should stick close together."

"Close does not have to mean ATTACHED." Obi-Wan inched away from his skittish apprentice.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and tried to relax. Within just a few minutes, he could sense Anakin was asleep. He steadied his breathing and welcomed the hazy feeling of nearing slumber. A sharp, snorting sound brought Obi-Wan promptly back to alertness. He turned to find his padawan in a deep slumber, mouth partially open.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes as Anakin snorted again loudly. Anakin then settled into a more steady and exceedingly annoying snore. Obi-Wan moved onto his side, back towards his noisy apprentice. He tried covering his exposed ear. That barely even muted the cacophony.

Obi-Wan had managed to get to sleep before Anakin on both nights while onboard the garbage scow. That had been the only way he had gotten ANY sleep. And even then, he'd been woken up a few times. Obi-Wan now lay wide-awake, sleep an elusive wish. He turned to lie on his back again. _I need to add earplugs to my list of things to pack for a mission. _

Obi-Wan finally, finally started to drift off. He had been asleep for no more than five minutes when, _SMACK_! His eyes flew open and focused enough to show Anakin's arm flung across his chest. Grumbling quietly, Obi-Wan not-so-gently moved the arm back over to its owner. Unfortunately, it didn't wake the slumbering apprentice.

Still grumbling, Obi-Wan turned back onto his side. After Force-only-knows how long, he was finally able to get to sleep. "Umph." Obi-Wan came awake at a sharp pain in his back. He turned to find Anakin's knee nearly imbedded in his spine. "That is IT!" He got up, picked up his cloak and tossed it to the side. He grabbed his leaves in a big wad and moved them over to another nearby tree. He laid them out, threw down his cloak and plopped himself down.

Fully awake and now very irritated, Obi-Wan decided to reach out to the Force and release his emotions. He paused as an even louder chorus of snores filtered through the air. _One. Two. Three. Four. Five…_


	4. A Trip to Forget Ch 4

I'm SO sorry it has taken me so long to update! Time has gotten away from me! Here's the latest.

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Obi-Wan woke up at his usual early hour. He did not feel the least bit rested. His eyes burned and his body cried out for more sleep. Obi-Wan pushed himself up anyway and got into his meditative position. He needed the Force to rejuvenate and calm him, as he didn't want to start his day with the disposition of a rancor. He hadn't slept well at all since the mission began, thanks to a certain padawan, and it was starting to wear on him a bit.

Obi-Wan used to think of himself as a pretty patient person – that is, until he got Anakin as a padawan. As Anakin grew older and more precocious, he wondered more and more where his patience had gone. _And he's not even a teenager yet!_ In actuality, Obi-Wan WAS a patient person, in general. There was just something about his young apprentice that brought out generous amounts of…exasperation.

Qui-Gon had also had the ability to exasperate Obi-Wan at times. He could see similarities between his deceased master and his young padawan. Qui-Gon, however, had never been arrogant – stubborn as an Alderaanian mule, yes, but not arrogant. Anakin was growing more arrogant with time. He was all too aware that his power and skill surpassed that of many padawans older than him.

The fact that Anakin knew that he was thought to be the Chosen One didn't help. That had been an issue where Obi-Wan had completely disagreed with Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon's belief about Anakin being the Chosen One should never have been discussed in front of the boy. If Anakin was to be told at all, it should have been at a time when he was much more mature and grounded in his Jedi training. As it was, Anakin was already using his being the Chosen One as a reason he shouldn't be subject to the same rules and requirements as other padawans. Obi-Wan had to wonder if this was just a taste of what was to come. He shook himself from his thoughts and reached out to the Force.

When Obi-Wan came out of his meditation, he saw that Anakin was still sound asleep. He sighed as he got up. Being a young padawan certainly had its benefits. He knelt beside his apprentice and shook him gently. "Anakin, it's time to get up."

"Hmmm?" Anakin slowly opened his eyes. He stretched lazily. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get up."

Anakin grinned. "Alright, Master." He sat up and noticed Obi-Wan's bedding under a tree some ways away. "Did you sleep over there?"

"I didn't actually get much sleep."

"But why did you move?" Anakin's voice sounded hurt.

"Because of a certain snoring padawan."

"I do NOT snore!"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows at that. "I assure you, you do. My imagination could never conjure up sounds like that!"

Anakin pouted slightly. "Why didn't you just roll me over or something?"

"That wouldn't have been enough. You're a rather…violent sleeper, Anakin."

Anakin's face reddened. "What do you mean?"

"I probably have a bruise on my back that's just about the size of your kneecap."

Anakin reddened even more. "Sorry, Master."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I know it wasn't intentional. And at least ONE of us got some rest." He studied his padawan's face. "Your rash looks better."

"Good. It doesn't itch as bad, either."

Obi-Wan stood up. "Come on, let's get going. We can eat our ration bars as we walk."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was mid-morning and a light rain was coming down. The drizzle wasn't doing much to alleviate the stifling heat. Obi-Wan was really not enjoying this particular climate. The air felt like a heavy, warm, wet blanket. It made a person constantly feel sticky and sweaty – two things that Obi-Wan loathed.

Anakin was studying the vegetation and creatures surrounding him. He still marveled at the difference in climate and terrain from one planet to the next. So focused was Anakin in his perusal, he didn't notice that Obi-Wan had come to a sudden stop in front of him. He slammed into his master's back, pushing him forward. "Why did we sto-O-O-O-O-P-P-P-P?"

The soggy ground underneath them had suddenly given way. In a blink of an eye, they were careening down a steep, muddy incline. Obi-Wan, being the first one down, was clearing a path through bushes and leafy branches. The speed of his collision with the greenery made it feel like he was being whipped.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably no more than a few seconds, Obi-Wan was deposited in a pool of extremely muddy water. Before he even had time to register that fact, his padawan landed on top of him. Anakin's weight and momentum forced Obi-Wan underwater and deep into the enveloping mud underneath.

Anakin quickly moved to get off his poor master so he could get up for air. He quickly did, sputtering and flinging mud everywhere. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan wiped the mud off his eyes in a jerking motion. Those two blue orbs, stark against a face covered in dark mud, quickly fastened on the apprentice. If looks could kill, Anakin knew that he would now be one with the Force.

Obi-Wan glared at his padawan. "THAT is why I stopped." _I will not kill my padawan. I will not kill my padawan._

Anakin looked extremely sheepish. He threw his thundercloud of a master a wan smile. "Well, at least we've cooled off."

"I can think of any number of preferable ways to do that." Obi-Wan looked down at himself. He was covered from head to toe in mud. Anakin fared better having not been torpedoed to the depths as he was. Obi-Wan used the murky water to try and clean off as much mud as he could – especially from his face, beard and hair. He then waded out of the muddy water hole onto more solid, though still soggy, ground. He watched as his filthy apprentice did the same. _We are going to make quite a first impression with the scientists._

Considering Obi-Wan's mood, Anakin wasn't sure if he should bring this up or not. "Um, Master, you have some marks on your face."

_What now?_ Obi-Wan dug through his soggy pack for his beard-trimming kit. He pulled out the mirror and looked at his face. He grimaced at the reflection gazing back at him. Dirty as his face and neck still were, he could clearly see a few nasty, red welts – courtesy of the flora he'd encountered on his little trek down the hill. "Beautiful." _Okay, I officially hate the jungle!_

Obi-Wan dug out the med kit, grumbling under his breath. He applied bacta gel to the welts and quickly stuffed things back into his pack. "Let's go. At this rate, we're not going to make it to the research station until tomorrow." He turned back to Anakin. "Kindly pay attention to where you are going. And know that if I've suddenly stopped, that I probably have a good reason."

"Yes, Master." Boy, was Obi-Wan in a bad mood! It wasn't THAT bad! It was actually kind of fun! Of course, Anakin wasn't the one who was hit by all the plants on the way down. And he wasn't the one shoved way down into the mud by another body landing on him. But still, it could've been worse!

Obi-Wan noticed that the rain had stopped. Just when they could have used a good downpour to help clean them off! He looked up. _Force, can one thing please go right? Just one? Is that asking so much?_ After walking a ways further, Obi-Wan stopped. He motioned for Anakin to move off to the side, further into the greenery. He quickly followed. /_Anakin, I sense a presence nearby – more than one, actually. Stay as quiet as you can and follow me./_

_/Okay, Master. Who do you think they are/_

_/I don't know, Padawan. But I somehow doubt they're a welcoming party./_


	5. Chapter 5

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Obi-Wan and Anakin crept through the foliage. Anakin was frustrated with himself for not sensing anybody nearby.

_/It's alright, Padawan. Let go of your frustration and concentrate on the here and now./_

Anakin winced at having been so transparent. _/Yes, Master./_

Obi-Wan paused when he heard a male voice. He honed in on the voice and quietly made his way forward. He motioned for Anakin to stay back. He peeked through some leaves and saw three burly men. Two were human, one was a Rodian.

One of the humans seemed quite agitated. "How are we supposed to find the Jedi? They could be anywhere!"

The other human, obviously the leader, looked irritated. "We may not have to. There ARE four other teams looking!"

The Rodian spoke up. "Our informant told us the Jedi should have arrived by now. If we can locate them, they'll lead us to the station."

The man did not look appeased. "They could already be inside the station by now. We have no idea where they landed or where they're heading! And besides that, we're talking about JEDI here! They're not exactly easily caught by surprise. And even if they are, they can still be quite deadly."

The leader shrugged. "I think the boss knows that this is a shot in the dark, but he's desperate. At least he knows which planet the station is on now. It'll only be a matter of time before its location is discovered."

The Rodian crossed his arms over his chest with a frown. "Personally, I think the reputation of the Jedi is exaggerated."

Obi-Wan gestured to his right. _/Anakin, go position yourself near the Rodian. When I move to knock out the leader, disarm him. I'll disarm the other human./_

_/But…/_ The look Obi-Wan shot him brooked no refusal. _/Yes, Master./_ Anakin quietly moved towards the Rodian.

Obi-Wan moved liked lightning. The leader didn't have a chance to blink before being knocked unconscious by a swift kick to the chin. Obi-Wan whirled and quickly kicked the blaster out of the other human's hand. Simultaneously, Anakin had jumped in front of the Rodian – lightsaber activated – and cut his blaster in half.

Obi-Wan now had his lightsaber aimed at the still-conscious human. He picked up the fallen blaster and aimed it at the Rodian. "Go gather some vines so we can tie their feet and hands."

"Yes, Master." Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and ran into the greenery. Why did his master always get to have all the fun? Capturing those men was entirely too easy. He had almost hoped for more of a fight. Anakin sighed as he set about his task.

Obi-Wan noticed the Rodian looking around for a possible escape. He smiled at the blue-skinned mercenary. "I wouldn't, if I were you."

The human looked afraid. He hissed through his teeth, "Don't be stupid, Treevo!"

Obi-Wan was a bit puzzled. The human looked frightened, but Obi-Wan couldn't sense his fear. In fact, he hadn't been able to sense any emotion from any of them. He'd been able to sense their presence, but nothing else. _That's odd._

Anakin came back with several vines and they quickly tied the hands and feet of the three men. They patted the men down and found a comlink on the leader. Obi-Wan tucked it into his pocket and looked around the area. "Let's tie them to that tree over there." They dragged each one over to the large tree and tied them down with a long vine. Obi-Wan squatted in front of the human. "Who hired you?"

The Rodian angled his head to glare at his companion. "Don't you dare squeal!"

Obi-Wan studied the human. He decided to put the Force behind his words. He gestured almost imperceptibly with his hand. "You will tell me who hired you."

The human glared at Obi-Wan. "I'm not saying a word, Jedi."

Obi-Wan kept his features neutral, but he was confused. This was a petty thug. He should be able to get the man to talk. He decided to try it on the Rodian, but had the same result. _Curious._ He got up and smiled. "If that's the way you want it, fine. I do hope you're comfortable. You may be here a while."

Obi-Wan sat down a ways away and dug his cloak out of his pack. He started ripping it into strips. Anakin came and sat next to him, speaking quietly. "What are you doing, Master?"

Obi-Wan spoke equally soft. "I'm making gags for our friends."

Anakin played with some of the pieces of fabric, trying to decide whether or not to voice his question. He glanced at Obi-Wan, who eyed him knowingly. As usual, his master could sense he had a question. "Master, I don't understand why we're doing all of this. Why don't we just MAKE them tell us who they're working for?"

"They're obviously resistant to Force suggestion, which is strange. What would you suggest, Padawan?" Obi-Wan was concerned with Anakin's line of thinking. He wanted to get this out in the air so he could hopefully nip it in the bud.

"We're the ones in control here, Master. Why don't we make them tell us what we want to know?" He tried to keep his voice low, despite his passion on the matter. He did not agree with his master's handling of this situation.

Obi-Wan could read the passion in his padawan and deliberately measured his words. "Jedi do NOT threaten, Anakin. And Jedi certainly do NOT use violence to get information, no matter how much that information is needed." He studied his apprentice. It disturbed Obi-Wan greatly that Anakin could even think such a thing. Anakin had been sequestered in the Temple for nearly three years, having Jedi philosophy and foundational skills hammered into him. They'd only just started getting missions recently, and then only minor ones – until this one, that is. Obi-Wan did find it a bit odd that the Council suddenly gave them this important mission, after a steady stream of innocuous ones.

Anakin was fighting a mixture of emotions. He felt ashamed at his line of thinking, angry that Obi-Wan had been able to so clearly read him and rebuff him, worried that his master would be disappointed in him, and frustrated at feeling unable to truly 'get' Jedi philosophy. His first inclination in any given situation was usually the opposite of what a Jedi was supposed to do. _No matter what I do, I'm always wrong!_

Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Don't worry, Padawan, you'll get to where you need to be. It just takes time. You need to be willing to give yourself that time and not try to rush things. Okay?" He searched his padawan's eyes, offering him an encouraging smile.

Anakin released his emotions into the Force. He couldn't help but smile back at his master. He did feel better. More than anything, he wanted Obi-Wan to be proud of him. He'd be willing to do just about anything to accomplish that. "Okay, Master."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Okay. If we cannot get the information we need from these mercenaries directly, we may be able to get some indirectly. The Force always provides in the end – usually in ways we never imagined." He threw Anakin an ironic smile.

"What will we do now?"

"We will put the other teams of mercenaries out of commission."

"We're not going to the research station?"

"Not while those other teams are still out there. I'm not going to risk giving away the station's location."

Anakin tried not to let his disappointment show. He really wanted out of the jungle. He had hoped to be safely ensconced in the research station by now. But then again, hunting down a bunch of mercenaries could be quite the adventure!

Obi-Wan took in his padawan's sudden mood change with a shake of his head. He got up and walked back over to the tied up men. "Where are the other teams?" He asked knowing full well they wouldn't answer. The human stubbornly turned his head in the other direction. "You're two of the chattiest folks I've ever met," he said dryly. Obi-Wan forced open the human's mouth and shoved in a rolled up strip of cloth. He took another strip and tied it off.

While Anakin finished gagging the other two, Obi-Wan gathered up their supplies. The leader's comlink suddenly came to life. "Team 1, this is Team 3. Are you there, Ty?"

Obi-Wan tried to remember the leader's voice. "Yeah."

"Have you seen any signs of the Jedi, yet?"

"Not yet. You?" Obi-Wan knew he'd better keep his answers short and sweet.

The man snorted. "Nothing. Well, I better check in with the others. Happy hunting."

Obi-Wan just grunted and closed the connection. He was halfway tempted to ask the man's location, but knew that it would probably arouse suspicion. He would rely on the Force to guide him. The Force WAS trying to tell him something. Obi-Wan had a growing feeling that something was…off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he could tell that things on this mission were not as they seemed…


	6. A Trip to Forget Ch 6

Hi, All! I'm sorry that it's been a long time again since my last post! I've honestly been trying to get this chapter to post for days, but it wouldn't download! Argh! Well, anyway, here's the latest! Thank you so much for your reviews! I LOVE them!

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Completely attuned to the Force, Obi-Wan walked purposefully through the El Abrell jungle. Anakin had to jog periodically to keep up with him. Obi-Wan could sense that they were getting near another one of the mercenary teams now. He didn't know if they would be able to keep the element of surprise with all the teams, but they would certainly try. Avoiding blaster fire would definitely help, as it could be heard from quite a ways away. _/We're getting close, Padawan. Be ready./_

_/I'm ready, Master. May I disarm two of them this time/_

_/Anakin, this is not the time to try and prove a point! Too much is riding on this. You may try to disarm two of them if, and ONLY if, there are more than three of them. Is that understood/_

_/Yes, Master./_ Anakin didn't understand why his master wouldn't let him prove himself. He was the Chosen One! He could handle two of these creeps! Why was Obi-Wan holding him back? He knew that he could be so much further in his abilities if his master would let him go at his own pace. His lightsaber skills were already way beyond the other twelve-year-olds. They'd be even better if he had more classes in saber technique and fewer in Jedi philosophy!

Obi-Wan glanced back at his apprentice. _/Focus, Padawan./_

Anakin didn't respond. He was too busy trying to reign in his mounting anger. He released his emotions into the Force. He would prove to his master that he could handle more of the action!

Obi-Wan peeked through the leaves and watched the figures before him. There were three again. One was a woman. And from what he could gather, she was the team leader. _Well, I'm certainly not going to kick a woman in the chin!_ He quietly maneuvered towards one of the bigger males. He gestured for Anakin to move into the space he just vacated.

Anakin peered through the foliage and was instantly angry again. _He wants me to disarm the woman!_ Not only would his master not allow him to take on two of the mercenaries, but the one he was told to handle was a woman! Talk about adding insult to injury!

Obi-Wan looked sharply at his padawan. _/Your thoughts betray you, Anakin. Mind your prejudices. Don't underestimate an opponent simply because she's female./_ He shook his head. He'd have to have a long conversation with his apprentice when this mission was completed.

Obi-Wan moved like a flash from his hiding spot. It was almost an exact repeat of the last time. In the blink of an eye, one man lay unconscious and the other two mercenaries were disarmed. Obi-Wan again stood watch as Anakin grabbed the vines they had already gathered.

The woman eyed Obi-Wan with a disbelieving look. "You're the Jedi?"

"Disappointed?"

"I expected Jedi to be a bit…cleaner."

Obi-Wan kept his Jedi mask intact. He'd almost forgotten how filthy and unkempt he must look. "This is my disguise."

The woman smirked. "Oh, I see." She glanced beside her as Anakin tied up her comrade. "Why are you holding your weapons on us? You won't hurt an unarmed person. I know about your Code."

Before Obi-Wan could answer her, she knocked her male friend down on top of Anakin and dove into the greenery. Obi-Wan was after her in a flash. With a flying leap, he tackled her and brought her down. He pinned her down to the ground using his weight. "No, I won't hurt you, but I WILL stop you."

Anakin climbed out from under the bulky male. He finished tying him up in jerking motions. He hadn't even seen that coming! His face was red with anger and embarrassment. Oh yeah, he'd just proven to his master how capable he was, all right! Blast that woman!

_/Padawan, bring me some vines./_

Anakin grabbed some vines and went to his master. Obi-Wan had the woman pinned to the ground. Anakin glared down at her.

"Tie her hands, Anakin." Obi-Wan moved off the woman, but continued to hold her arms in place. When Anakin was finished, Obi-Wan pulled the woman onto her feet and escorted her back to her comrades. They again tied the three mercenaries to a tree. Obi-Wan tried questioning them using the Force, but these mercenaries were just as resistant as the others were. _Blast, that's peculiar!_

The woman glared up at him. "You're just going to leave us here?"

Obi-Wan knelt down and smiled at her. "For now, yes. Things might be different if you were a little more cooperative. But since you're not, you may just have to be here a while." He pulled out a couple strips of his cloak.

"Wait! Let me go, and I promise I'll make it worth your while." The woman looked at Obi-Wan meaningfully.

Anakin rolled his eyes. _What IS it about him, anyway?_ Filthy as he was, his master still attracted women!

Obi-Wan kept his face neutral. "Madame, the only thing you can offer me that I would have any interest in is information." He watched as her eyes turned icy. When she didn't respond, Obi-Wan shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself." He gagged the woman and nodded for Anakin to do the same with the others.

Obi-Wan noticed his apprentice smirking at him. "Don't say a word!"

Anakin put on an innocent face. "What, Master?"

"Whatever witty remark you had on the tip of your tongue." Obi-Wan shook his head and got up as Anakin continued to grin at him.

Obi-Wan collected the extra blaster and the leader's comlink. He tossed the blaster to Anakin. "Go ahead and keep that one." He already had a confiscated blaster in his belt from the last team.

Anakin caught the blaster with a surprised look on his face. "Thank you, Master." He was surprised that his master would entrust him with one of the weapons. Maybe Obi-Wan did have some faith in him after all.

Obi-Wan pocketed the comlink as he started off again. He fervently hoped that no one would call in. He'd have a hard time imitating this particular team leader's voice. He glanced back at his padawan as they walked. "Anakin, why were you so surprised when I gave you the blaster?"

Anakin hesitated. Should he tell Obi-Wan the truth? _Of course, you idiot, he'll know if you're holding back!_ "I was…I was surprised that you would have that much faith in me."

Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks and turned back to his apprentice. "You were surprised that I had faith in you? Anakin, when I tell you 'no,' it's never because I don't have faith in you. I have the utmost faith in you, as well as the utmost pride in the great Jedi Knight I know you will become."

Anakin now felt like a heel. He'd hurt his master with his own lack of faith in HIM. What should he say now? "Master, I…"

Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "What have I done to give you that impression, Anakin?"

"Well, it's…I…You never seem to let me learn at the pace I want to and am able to. It always seems like you're trying to hold me back." Anakin was looking down at the ground, poking the mud with his boot.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "It seems that way because I AM trying to hold you back, Padawan. You're trying to go too far too fast. Anakin, bad things happen when a Jedi tries to take things too fast. The Force is our foundation and patience is the cornerstone. You can't rush through your training – no Jedi can. As I told you earlier, your time will come, but you have to be willing to wait for it."

Obi-Wan lifted Anakin's chin up with his finger. "I do have faith in you, Anakin. And I'm very proud of you. You've learned so much, so quickly. But I feel we must slow down the pace. Faster isn't necessarily better, Padawan." Obi-Wan move his hand back to Anakin' shoulder. "That leads me to a question that I must ask you. Do you trust me enough to be your guide?"

Anakin felt panic rise up. Did Obi-Wan not want to be his master anymore? Had he blown it? "Yes, of course I trust you, Master! I didn't mean to question your guidance. I'm sorry! Please don't…"

"Anakin! I'm not trying to tell you that I don't want to be your master! But trust is an important thing in a master/padawan relationship. So I will ask you again, do you trust me enough to be your guide?"

Anakin looked solemnly up at his master. "Yes, Master, I trust you more than anyone."

Obi-Wan smiled down at his apprentice. "Good. Therefore, you must trust that what I do, I do for your own good – even if you disagree."

"Yes, Master. I didn't mean to seem ungrateful. I think you're a great teacher!"

"I think you're a great padawan. I hope I never give you cause to doubt that again."

"I won't doubt you again, I promise!" Anakin gave Obi-Wan an enthusiastic hug.

Obi-Wan returned the hug and ruffled his padawan's hair. "Come on. Let's go hunt some more mercenaries, shall we?"

"Okay, Master." Anakin felt infinitely better. He'd been so scared there for a minute that Obi-Wan didn't want to be his master anymore. He couldn't imagine anyone else ever having that role. He wouldn't want to be anyone else's padawan! Anakin felt so relieved and so happy. Obi-Wan was proud of him! That meant everything to him! He would try to remember that his master reigned him in for his own good.

Thoughts whirled in Obi-Wan's mind as he walked. _Have I really given him such cause to doubt my faith in him?_ He now looked back on the last three years. He thought he had always tried to compliment Anakin when he did well and correct him when he did wrong. Obi-Wan thought back to all of the insecurities and doubts he'd harbored about his relationship with Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had never been one to show a lot of outward affection or offer a lot of praise. A part of him had always wondered if his master was truly proud of him – actually, it doubted more than it wondered.

Obi-Wan was determined to never let his padawan have those same doubts plague him. _I will correct him when he needs to be corrected. But I will also be sure Anakin knows how proud I am of him and how much he means to me._ Obi-Wan could feel his padawan's joy. It was emanating from him like a beacon. The strength of Anakin's emotions and the rate at which they changed was mind-boggling. Being a master sure had it challenges! Would he ever totally feel up to it?


	7. A Trip to Forget Ch 7

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Anakin trudged along behind Obi-Wan. They had just captured and tied up the last team of mercenaries. It was late and now very dark. They were finally heading for the research station. It had been a long day and Anakin was exhausted. The last team had been a bit harder to capture than the others were. They had known something was wrong and were extremely alert. After Obi-Wan knocked out the leader, the second guy had been able to fire his blaster with amazing speed. Obi-Wan was able to duck in time to miss the bolt, but just barely. Anakin was just glad that the day was over and he could sleep in a bed tonight.

Obi-Wan was on heightened alert as he walked. This mission was just…weird. He hadn't been able to read the emotions of any of the mercenaries, nor had he been able to use a Force suggestion. Encountering one or even a few with such strong mental shielding was one thing, but all of them? That should be close to impossible. The sensation that all was not as it seemed was stronger than ever.

Obi-Wan kept his senses attuned as they neared the coordinates of the research station. He didn't sense any danger, but slowed his pace anyway. He cautiously crept through the foliage and saw a small building, partly built into and underneath a hill. It was somewhat camouflaged, but not nearly as hidden as Obi-Wan expected. _Anyone with two good eyes could spot this place!_ This mission was getting stranger and stranger! He suddenly sensed a distinctly familiar presence.

Light streamed out as the door to the building opened. A small, green figure with a cane came hobbling out. Obi-Wan gaped as the grunting figure came near. "Master Yoda?" Anakin came up beside his master and joined in the gaping.

There was a twinkle in the Jedi Master's eyes as he took in the filthy appearance of the two before him. "Welcome, Obi-Wan, Padawan."

Obi-Wan called on the Force to clear his now totally befuddled mind. "Master, would you care to enlighten me as to what is going on?"

"Come. Go inside we will." Yoda turned and headed back through the open door. Anakin looked up at his master in total confusion. Obi-Wan just shrugged his shoulders and followed Yoda into the building.

Yoda turned, again eyeing their disheveled appearance. "Interesting representatives for the Jedi Order you make."

"Well, it's been an interesting mission thus far, to say the least." Obi-Wan knelt down to get eye-level with the little Master. "Now, if I may ask again, what is going on here?"

Yoda decided to just get right to the point. "Tested you and your padawan have been."

"TESTED?" Obi-Wan and Anakin spoke in unison.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and called out to the Force. At the moment, he needed some serious help with emotional control. He took a deep breath. "Anakin, why don't you go get some rest?"

"But, Master…" Anakin didn't want to go to bed now! He wanted to know what in the galaxy was going on!

"Padawan, I promise I will give you the full story tomorrow." _When I've had ample time to cool off._ "Now go, take advantage of a full night's sleep on a real bed."

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied begrudgingly.

"Take you to your room, I will." Yoda led the way down the hall and stopped in front of a door. "Yours, this room is. A snack inside is waiting for you."

That brightened Anakin's mood. He was starving! "Thank you, Master Yoda. Good night, Master."

Obi-Wan smiled at his apprentice. "Good night, Anakin." _/We'll talk in the morning, Padawan./_

_/Okay, Master./_ Anakin went into his room, suddenly very hungry and very tired.

Yoda started down the hall again. "Knew you were on your way. Tea is waiting for us." He led Obi-Wan into a comfortable sitting area. "Talk you, Master Windu and I will." Obi-Wan sat down on the sofa, steaming mug in hand. Yoda joined him a moment later. He turned on the holocom on the table. "We are here, Master Windu."

An image of Mace Windu flickered to life. He nodded at the two of them. "Master Yoda, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded at Mace. "Master Windu." He looked down into his mug as he gathered his thoughts. After a moment, he looked up again. "Why, Masters?"

"Felt it important to test the two of you the Council did, before giving you more consequential missions."

"Is this standard procedure? Because I don't remember this kind of test being given to me and Qui-Gon."

"Standard procedure this is not. But standard master/padawan team you are not. Training the Chosen One is no small task."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment and steadied his breathing. When he opened his eyes again, he found Yoda studying him intently. "Does the Council have that little faith in my abilities as a teacher?" All of Obi-Wan's insecurities had come flooding back.

Yoda sighed and shook his head. "Knew you would think that I did."

Mace spoke up. "The Council does not doubt you, Obi-Wan. But we do feel that great care is needed in Anakin's training. We still have some concerns about him. He is too emotional and too confident in his abilities."

Obi-Wan felt relief at Mace's words, but also protectiveness for his padawan. "Anakin is progressing well. He's only been in training for three years. With time, he'll learn not to let his emotions rule him."

"Protect him, you need not, young one. Want him to become a great Jedi Knight the Council does." Yoda poked his clawed hand into Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Remember, reservations about Anakin you have as well."

Obi-Wan rubbed his hand down his face. "Yes, I do. I'm trying to work through those reservations. I don't like having them. It's not fair to Anakin. I keep them buried deep under heavy shielding. The last thing he needs is to feel that from me!"

Mace looked at Obi-Wan thoughtfully. "We understand that, Obi-Wan. But the fact that you still have reservations means that you should take them seriously and heed them."

Yoda nodded. "Watched you two I have, and not just on this mission. On a pedestal your apprentice has placed you."

Obi-Wan sighed as he leaned back into the cushion. "I know. That's what worries me. The higher the pedestal, the harder the fall. What also concerns me is that he seems to take it as a personal affront every time I correct him."

"Yes, he does." Mace sounded grave. "He desperately wants your approval. But you handled the situation today very well."

Obi-Wan turned sharply. "You heard that? About his thinking I didn't have any faith in him?"

Yoda nodded. "Heard it and saw it. Heard and saw everything that went on here the Council did."

_Oh, lovely._ Obi-Wan tried not to look worried. "How did I not sense any spy droids?"

Mace smiled. "Obi-Wan, we do this all the time. El Abrell is where most padawans take the Trials."

"Well, that explains why I don't know about it." A thought struck Obi-Wan as he sipped his tea. "Wait a minute! Who are all those people we captured today?"

Yoda smiled. "Jedi, Obi-Wan. Specialize they do in this sort of thing."

"No wonder I couldn't read them. Was everything that happened on this mission part of the test?"

Amusement shone out of Yoda's eyes. "Make your padawan forget to secure transport and get a garbage scow we did not. Enlist a snake and leeches in our test we did not."

Mace looked equally amused. "We didn't coerce Anakin to snore and accost you in his sleep. And we didn't arrange your muddy trek down the hill." Mace's eyes sparkled with mirth. "The Force was not entirely with you on this trip."

"Tell me about it!" Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh. Thinking back on all that happened – it bordered on the absurd! Obi-Wan smirked wickedly. "What about all the Jedi I left tied up?"

"Making their way here they should be by now."

Obi-Wan leaned forward a bit. "How did you know to set this up the way you did? I mean, in a way where no one would really get hurt and I wouldn't find out find out too soon that this was a test?"

Mace's lips turned up in an ironic smile. "I'm not sure the Jedi you kicked into unconsciousness would agree that no one was hurt."

Obi-Wan looked embarrassed. "Oh, yes…um…"

"Know you well, we do." Yoda's sleepy gaze was fixed on the young man beside him. "Knew we did, that avoid violence if at all possible you would."

Mace nodded in agreement. "We knew you wouldn't go in with lightsaber or blaster blazing. We also trusted that you would make sure Anakin did likewise."

"If you already knew how I was going to handle this test, then what was the point?"

"The point, Obi-Wan, was not to test you, but to test your relationship with your padawan, and to test Anakin himself." Mace spoke patiently, wanting the young knight to understand that the Council did not doubt him.

Obi-Wan sighed heavily. "Explaining this to Anakin should prove interesting."

Yoda placed a claw on Obi-Wan's arm. "Trust you to make him understand, we do."


	8. A Trip to Forget Ch 8

I apologize this has taken me so long to update! Thank you so much for your reviews! They are truly wonderful and encouraging!

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Obi-Wan walked down the hallway towards Anakin's room. He felt much better after a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep. After rounding a corner, he nearly bumped into the woman who had played one of the mercenary leaders. "Excuse me…Oh, it's you."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic." The woman had an amused look on her face. She noticed his now neat, clean and even more handsome appearance. "You clean up well."

"Thank you, Knight…"

"Mendon. Layla Mendon."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You're a good actress, Knight Mendon." He tried to keep his irritation in check. After all, these knights had only been doing their duty.

"Thank you, Knight Kenobi."

Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest. "But was that little proposal of yours really necessary?" His face was calm, but his eyes noted his irritation.

"As a matter of fact, it was. Master Yoda himself specifically requested it."

_Why that sneaky, little…_

Layla again looked amused. "That sort of thing must happen pretty often with you."

"What makes you say that?" Obi-Wan's skin started to turn pink.

"Because Master Yoda requested that particular test and because of the way your padawan reacted." Layla's amusement grew at his blush.

Obi-Wan did not appreciate her obvious enjoyment. His eyes narrowed. "Just how far would you have gone in your little ruse?"

A wicked smile crept up Layla's face. "Wouldn't you like to know?" With that cryptic remark, she continued past him down the hall.

Obi-Wan shook his head as he continued towards Anakin's room. Women! He didn't think he'd ever truly understand them. He stopped in front of Anakin's door. _/Padawan, are you awake/_

_/Yes, Master. Come in./_

Obi-Wan walked in to find Anakin sitting cross-legged on his bed. Anakin's eyes followed his master as he sat down beside him. The boy looked particularly vulnerable.

"It was me wasn't it, Master? They were testing me."

"They were testing both of us, Anakin. They were testing our relationship." It wasn't the entire truth, but Obi-Wan wasn't about to tell Anakin about the Council's reservations. "They wanted to test how we work together before giving us weightier missions."

"How much did they see?"

Obi-Wan's look turned ironic. "They saw and heard everything that happened on this planet."

Anakin's heart sunk. He hadn't exactly been the exemplary padawan on this mission. His eyes grew wide as a thought struck him. The Council had seen him question his master on the pace of his training! And they'd seen him doubt his master's faith in him!

Obi-Wan put a hand on Anakin's arm, trying to calm him. "Padawan, it's okay."

"No, it isn't, Master! I displayed my impatience and lack of faith in you!" _What if they decide I'm not worthy of training anymore?_

"Anakin, you must let go of your fear. The Council is not out to get you. They are there, just as I am, to guide you on your journey to becoming a knight. And as with me, you may not always agree with their decisions, but you must trust in their greater wisdom and experience." Obi-Wan squeezed his padawan's arm reassuringly. "Release your fear, Padawan."

Anakin closed his eyes and tried to center himself. He felt Obi-Wan gently connecting with him, helping him to release his emotions into the Force. Just as unobtrusively, his master backed off and let him maintain the connection on his own. When Anakin felt at peace again, he opened his eyes to find his master watching him.

Obi-Wan smiled gently at his apprentice. "Better?"

Anakin smiled weakly. "Yes, Master." Understanding and encouragement emanated from Obi-Wan's eyes. Anakin found it hard to meet those eyes. He felt completely unworthy of his master at the moment.

"Anakin?"

Anakin sighed and met his master's eyes. "How did we do in the test?"

"We won't hear the official response of the Council until we return to the Temple. Unofficially…" Obi-Wan gave Anakin a conspiratorial smile. "I think we showed them that we make a great team."

Anakin immediately brightened. "Really? You…you think we make a great team?"

"Absolutely." Obi-Wan ruffled Anakin's hair before getting up. "I can't have just anyone as my padawan, after all." He felt his padawan's mood lift considerably. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Are you up for breakfast?"

"Yes, Master, I'm starving!" Anakin happily hopped off the bed and followed Obi-Wan out into the hall. They entered the small dining hall to find it full of the 'mercenaries' from the day before. Master Yoda was also there, gesturing for them to come join him. Obi-Wan felt a little self-conscious as all eyes were upon them.

A few of the men had bruised chins and seemed to be having a difficult time chewing. One of those men piped up. "Hey, Kenobi, you sure pack a powerful kick!" The other men grunted their agreement.

Obi-Wan smiled sheepishly. "Yes, I ah…I do apologize for that." There was open amusement on everyone's face, especially Knight Mendon's. He and Anakin filled up their plates at the small buffet and sat down beside Yoda.

"Forget you, those knights shall not." Yoda spoke quietly, humor dancing in his sleepy eyes. "Eat well, then get ready to leave you shall."

Obi-Wan smiled, glancing at his padawan. "I do hope our transport will be of the non-garbage scow variety."

Yoda smiled at the contrite look on Anakin's face. "It will, indeed."

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Obi-Wan and Anakin were now standing before the fully assembled Council. Anakin shifted uncomfortably as the twelve pairs of eyes bored into him.

"How do you think you did on this test, Padawan Skywalker?" Mace was the first to speak up. In situations such as this, the padawan was always addressed first. The performance of the padawan was always dealt with in the presence of the master. Then the padawan was dismissed. A master's performance was never judged in front of the apprentice.

Anakin took a deep breath before speaking. "I think I could have done better, Master Windu."

"How so?" Yoda looked like he was looking through to Anakin's soul.

"I was impatient. I questioned my master's guidance and his faith in me. I didn't show him the proper respect."

Ki Adi Mundi stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Anything else?"

"I…I was too eager to show aggression." Anakin hung his head.

"Master Obi-Wan," Yoda spoke. "What feel you about your padawan's performance?"

"Overall, I think he did well, Masters. In just three years of training, he has come very far. There are some issues that need to be worked on – his emotionalism and his impatience. And we will work on them. And I have full confidence that he WILL master them. This mission was unusual from the get-go, but I think he handled it ably and willingly."

Anakin felt joy fill him at his master's words. He stood a little straighter.

"Feel we do that progressed far you have, Padawan."

Mace turned from Yoda, nodding his agreement. "Your skills are commendable."

Plo Kloon spoke up from Anakin's right. "However, trust in and obedience to your master is extremely important."

Adi Gallia spoke up from behind him. "You must trust that your master knows and wants what is best for you."

"But I do trust my master, more than anyone!" They had to believe him! Anakin looked up desperately at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's shoulder and gave a slight nod.

Depa Billaba spoke up next. "Good. Then you must be willing to accept his corrections."

Mace looked pointedly at Anakin. "Do not take it personally when your master corrects you. It does not mean that he doesn't think highly of you."

Yoda pointed his clawed hand for emphasis. "Necessary correction is for proper training." Yoda watched as Anakin seemed to focus on the floor. "Learn from your master, let him guide you, and do well you will."

Anakin looked up. "Yes, Master." He glanced up at Obi-Wan. "I will, Master."

"You are dismissed, Padawan," said Mace.

Anakin bowed. He glanced up again at Obi-Wan, who smiled encouragingly. Anakin quickly walked out of the Council chambers. When he was safely out in the hallway, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He hated standing before the Council! He hated feeling so completely open and exposed! He hoped his master would fare a bit better than he did.


	9. A Trip to Forget Ch 9

Okay, here is the final chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this! Here's a huge thank you to my wonderful reviewers: Laura of Maychoria, ally127, Rachel 791, Satra, crazyAZN kid, A. NuEvil, Trinity Day, gotmilk, Esmerald tears, Qianora, RuByMoOn17, slayer faith2. You're all awesome! Please forgive me if I've left someone out! To crazyAZNkid: Depa Billaba is a she and was on the Council in Ep. 1. So I figure that she's probably still on the Council 3 years later. :)

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Obi-Wan now stood alone before the Council. He remembered how he used to feel intimidated and uncomfortable standing before the Coucil when he was Anakin's age. It didn't really bother him anymore. He had nothing to hide from anyone here, so he just waited patiently to be addressed. As was the custom, he was facing Mace and Yoda.

Ki Adi Mundi was the first to speak this time. "We were impressed with your handling of this test, Obi-Wan – especially in the area of your apprentice."

Adi Gallia spoke up gently. "The way you addressed your padawan's concerns showed a lot of wisdom and compassion."

"Thank you, Masters." Obi-Wan was deeply humbled and grateful.

"Though, he does seem to be able to exasperate you at times." Plo Kloon spoke with a hint of amusement. With what he'd seen from the test, he couldn't entirely blame Obi-Wan.

"Yes, Masters."

Ki Adi Mundi's look grew serious. "The way Anakin feels about you is akin to hero worship. That can be dangerous. That kind of adoration can easily turn to resentment and anger when you don't live up to expectations."

"I know, Masters. But so far, I haven't been able to get through to him that I'm just as fallible – if not more so – than any other person."

Plo Kloon spoke up again. "Anakin takes it personally when you correct him. You must be very careful, Obi-Wan. You walk a fine line. If you correct him too much, he will start to resent you. But if you don't correct him enough, his already large ego will only get bigger."

Everyone looked over at Plo Kloon, including Obi-Wan. "Thank you, Master Kloon. That makes me feel much better." The infamous Obi-Wan Kenobi sarcasm was creeping into his words.

Mace shot Plo a look that spoke volumes. The rest of the Council members shared mildly amused looks. Sarcasm was usually frowned upon as a method of communicating with the Council. But they let it slide, considering the source.

Yoda was quite amused with Obi-Wan's response, but he could sense that Obi-Wan's doubts had inched up a notch. "Add pressure on you, we do not wish, Obi-Wan. Sure we are that understand the importance of your role, you do."

Shaak Ti spoke up for the first time. "I was one of those opposed to Anakin's training. But once the decision was made to let him be trained, I did not believe the task should be appointed to a brand new knight. I now believe that it was the will of the Force for Anakin to be trained. I also believe it was the will of the Force that YOU be the one to train him. But more than that, any concerns I may have had about your ability to train him properly have been allayed."

"Thank you, Master."

"As for your handling of the mission side of the test…We thought that was handled masterfully. You were very effective with minimal use of force." Mirth entered Mace's eyes as he again thought of the test participants with sore chins. "We forgot to warn the knights on El Abrell about your penchant for using your kick boxing skills."

Obi-Wan flushed slightly as Mace continued. "We do have one recommendation for you, though."

"Yes, Master?"

"We suggest that you pack ear plugs on your next mission." Mace couldn't keep the smile off his face.

Obi-Wan smiled in return. "That has already been added to my list of things to pack."

"Keep up the good work, Obi-Wan." Mace's nodded his head. "You are dismissed."

Obi-Wan bowed. "Thank you, Masters." He walked out of the chamber only to stop again. He could feel through the Force that Yoda wanted to speak with him. He turned around and waited patiently for the diminutive master to exit. Just a moment later, Yoda came through the door on his hoverpad. Obi-Wan bowed again. "You wished to speak with me, Master?"

"Yes, Obi-Wan. Come. Have tea and cookies we will." Yoda set off down the hallway towards his apartment. He studied the young knight as they walked. He could tell that Obi-Wan was grateful for the response of the Council, but also that Obi-Wan's reservations about Anakin had been brought to the fore yet again.

They walked into the apartment and Yoda immediately headed for the kitchen. Obi-Wan put his hand on the Jedi master's shoulder. "I'll get it, Master." He knew his way around Yoda's kitchen almost as well as his own. He got the tea going and pulled out a package of Yoda's favorite cookies.

Now sitting on the couch with a steaming cup of tea, Yoda, as usual, got right to the point. "Somewhat conflicted you are."

"Yes, Master. I'm relieved with the response of the Council, but…I guess I'm really feeling the weight of my responsibility in training Anakin." Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "I sometimes feel wholly unequal to the task."

"Let you train Anakin we would not if any doubts we had of your abilities."

Obi-Wan looked at Yoda pointedly. "Shaak Ti had doubts."

"At the beginning, have doubts in placing him with a brand new knight, some did. But as Shaak Ti said, allayed those doubts have been."

Obi-Wan looked down into his still-steaming cup. "You were one of those who had doubts."

"Rested my doubts did, Obi-Wan, in the danger I sensed in Anakin's training. Disliked I did the idea of ANYONE training him." Yoda poked Obi-Wan in the shoulder to get him to look him in the eye. "Deal with your own doubts you must, Obi-Wan – especially the doubts about yourself."

"I know, Master. I will." Obi-Wan knew better than to say 'I'll try.'

Yoda pushed the tray full of cookies toward Obi-Wan. "Eat! Plenty I have."

Obi-Wan picked up a cookie. "By the way, Knight Mendon told me that little come-on of hers was your idea." He looked at Yoda with mock-indignation. "That was a dirty trick, Master!"

"Relevant it was! Wanted I did, to see how you would react in that situation away from the Temple."

Now there was nothing 'mock' about Obi-Wan's indignation. "Master Yoda! You know darn well that my reactions do not change with the environment! Did you really think that I would go for that kind of offer?"

Amusement danced in Yoda's eyes. "No, but curious I was nonetheless, as to your reaction. So was Mace."

"Well, I certainly hope you enjoyed the show."

Yoda's face broke out into a full-fledged smile. "The most amusing test the Council has ever seen, yours was. Archived the footage will be, for the enjoyment of future generations."

"Oh, joy." Obi-Wan sunk back into the cushions of the sofa. This was obviously going to be a trip that NO ONE would ever forget!


End file.
